The present invention relates generally to a telephone device for processing caller-ID information. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing caller-ID information, a method and apparatus for displaying caller-ID information for a call-waiting caller, and a method and apparatus for dialing a stored phone number from a caller-ID device.
Several telephone companies now offer caller-ID services for telephone users. These services enable a user to identify the name and/or the phone number of the caller before choosing to accept the call. Telephone companies also provide a blocking service for those users who wish to remain anonymous.
Devices for processing the caller-ID information, including block codes, have proliferated as well. Typical devices include information processing circuitry in the device, usually comprising a controller and a memory, to show the caller's name and/or phone number on a suitable display device. Some device are further provided with circuitry from comparing the number of a calling party with stored information, and for classifying the call as either "wanted" or "rejected" based on the stored information. When the call is classified as "wanted," the number is displayed to the user and a ring indication is provided to indicate to the user that a desired call has been received. When the call is classified as "rejected," the number is displayed and the ring indication is disabled. An example of such a device is provided in co-pending U.S. patent application No. 08/540,532, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
A caller-ID telephone is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,145, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes, which includes many of the features described above. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,145 describes a caller-ID telephone which compares the caller-ID information to stored information in the telephone device. When there is a match, the telephone displays the caller's name and number on the device. In addition, the device includes circuitry for causing the caller-ID device to spelling or speak the name of the caller for the user. The present invention is a further development of U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,145.
Conventional caller-ID devices have the capability to display caller-ID information for only one incoming caller at a time. This is because the display device employed in the conventional caller-ID device is typically a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, or comparable device, which provides only three rows for the display of caller-ID information to the user. One row is used to display the name of the caller, a second row is used to display the phone number of the caller, and a third row is used to display other information about the caller including, but not limited to, the time and the date.
When a call or conversation is in progress, the display of the conventional caller-ID device shows the caller-ID information for the present caller. When a second incoming call signal is received on the call-waiting line, the conventional caller-ID device erases the caller-ID information related to the present caller and replaces it with the caller-ID information of the call-waiting caller.
Often, the user would like to simultaneously view the caller-ID information for both the present caller and the call-waiting caller. For example, when the user needs to alternate frequently between the two callers (by employing a "flash" key, for example), or when the user engages in a three-way conference call with two callers, it would be preferable if the caller-ID device could display the caller-ID information for both callers at the same time. However the conventional three row display is inadequate for this purpose.
One solution proposed is to add three more rows to the display unit (i.e., six rows in total) so that the complete caller-ID information of both callers could be displayed simultaneously. However, this solution is not economical because the size of the display would generally exceed cost, power, and size considerations for the caller-ID device and would require a doubling of the display driver capability.
The user of the conventional caller-ID device may cause the device to display an entry of the caller-ID information stored therein. In addition, the user may cause the conventional caller-ID device to dial the phone number of the entry by pressing a DIAL key, or equivalent, while the entry is shown in the display. However, the caller-ID device does not know whether to dial the last seven digits of the phone number; the area code plus the last seven digits of the phone number; or a "1", the area code, and the last seven digits of the telephone number. This problem is exacerbated in certain metropolitan areas that include many different area codes.
The conventional technique for addressing this problem is to enable the user to store the area code(s) which should not be dialed in the caller-ID device. Thereafter, when the user displays an entry and presses the DIAL key, or equivalent, the conventional caller-ID device compares the area code of the displayed entry to the area code(s) stored therein. When there is a match, the conventional caller-ID device dials the selected seven-digit phone number without dialing the area code. Typically, the conventional caller-ID device is configured to store only one such area code which should not be dialed; however, some later models have the capability to store up to three such area codes.
The problem with the conventional approach is that, for some areas of the country, the limited storage capacity of the conventional caller-ID device does not accommodate all of the area codes within the local calling area. Moreover, the conventional approach does not address the problem where a "1" must be dialed with the area code and phone number.